Expanded metal type saturating and cleaning cell



April 28, 1953 w. l.. FLE|s||ER 2,636,572

EXPANDED METAL TYPE SATURATING AND CLEANING CELL Filed Jan. 4, 195,2

INVENTOR. Wal/erLFleslzer ATYUHME'YS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 EXPANDED METAL TYPE SATURA-TING AND CLEANING CELL Walter L. Fleisher, New City, N'. Y., assignorto Air and Refrigeration Corporation, New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application January 4, 1952, Serial No. 264,913

I Claims. (Cl. I83-69l This invention relates to improvements in contact cells used in air-conditioning apparatusV and more particularly to an expanded metal type saturating and cleaning cell used in such equipment. Principal objects and features of the invention are the provision of a contact cell of the character mentioned for the purposes of eliminating dust or other similar solids from the air when the cell is treated either with viscous material or wetted by a water spray or other similar more viscous liquid which can readily pass through the cell and carry the trapped solid materials with it.

Further objects and features of the invention are the provision of a cell which when sprayed with water or kept continually Wet by means of streams of water will operate to effect a transier of heat so that there will be a change of state in the Water vapor contained in the air to change the temperature of the air passing through the cell adiabatically. In other Words the ellect would be to reduce the sensible heat of the air and in so doing to evaporate moisture introduced in the spray so that the air leaving the cell will approach as nearly as feasible, adiabatically, the wet bulb temperature of theA entering air.

`Further objects and features of the invention are the provision oi a cell of the character mentioned which will most eciently and economically effect the objects hereinbefore mentioned and at the same time be simple in construction, readily cleaned and readily disassembled and further be so constructed that it will be practically impossible to assemble the various parts of the cell in an improper manner.

Further objects and features of the invention are the provision of construction whereby in a cell of fixed depth the number of layers of screening material may be varied at will in a simple manner for change in the cleaning effect or in the degree of saturation enacted by passage of air through the cell.

Further major objects and features of the nvention are the provision of construction whereby when it becomesA necessary' to clean the cell, complete cleaning can be eilected Without dismantling or, if dismantlingbecomes necessary, reassembly can be effected by the most unskilled type of Worker With little possibility of error in such reassembly.

Further objects and features in the invention.

are the provision of construction whereby the elements of the cell are capable of. some movement relative to each other after assembly so that water or other liquids' striking the screen elements of the cell have a tendency to shake the 2. screens and help in the elimination of dust, dirt, or solid particles which otherwise might tend to cling to the surfaces of the screens.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. I is a plan view of a cell embodying the invention partially broken away to illustrate details of construction;

Fig, 2' is a fragmentary section taken along line 2--2 of Fig. l and. viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2a is a similar fragmentary section of a modified construction;

Fig'. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the structure of an expanded metal screen element of the cell; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of a pair of adjacent cell' screens in superposed relationship illustrating the crossed relationship ci the screen openings; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of several screen layers arranged in accordance with the requisite cell construction.

Referring to the drawings and rst to Fig. 1, l0 denotes generally the saturating and cleaningr cell of this invention. This cell It consists of a substantially rectangular frame I l. This frame Il by way of example'is' approximately 2-'r deep and has a peripheral margin or border i2 projecting inwardly at one edge and approximately l/" thereby providing an open pan to receive the cell screens [3. i

Preferably, although not limited to such sizes,

c the frame is. approximately 19%" x 19% or 2353/3 X 2"' deep. Other convenient sizes' may be used with equal eiiiciency but. the dimensions noted have been found most convenient for manufacturing purposes.

The screens I3v are manufactured of expanded material such as metal. Such material is understood tol be manufactured from substantially flat. sheets' which are slotted or slitted' with very ne slots to produce the desirable open spaces both vertically and horizontally. The sheets are then stretched at right angles to the larger length thereof to give uniform openings which then apf pear in the form of ai .chain of openings that are substantially' elliptical or diamond in shape, having major and minor'axes. The: relative dimensions4 of the openingszin their two axial directions are dependent upon the amount of stretching or spreading which is desired in the openings' for optimum results. During expansion.. the sheet material is so manipulated that the unslctte'd 3 portions between the openings is twisted to give a greater depth to the sheets than its original unslotted thickness. Fig. 2a shows the screens I3a identical with screens I3 but additionally having corrugations to a depth of 1/8 or more or less for purposes to be presently described.

In order to carry out the purposes of this invention and for maximum efficiency of design, operation and economy of construction, sheet metal material of 24 gauge or 26 gauge is preferable for the manufacture of the screens I3 0r I3a. A plurality of such screens I3 or I3a prepared as just described are provided because the use of but a single screen would not efectively produce either a proper cleaning or a proper saturation effect. It is essential, therefore, to provide a plurality of such screens I3 or I3a in which alternately the major and minor axes of the openings O are at right angles to each other. As a result because of the twist of the solid portions of the screen material the respective sheets of screen material I3 or I3a are kept at a predetermined distance from each other and individual openings O of alternate screens I3 or I3a have their major and minor axes crosswise relative to each other thereby producing additional surfaces and apertures. In addition in screens I3a, the corrugations provide additional spacing between adjacent screens.

rIhe number of screens I3 or ISa utilized is suiicient to iill the depth of the frame l I in this instant enough to iill approximately 2" of frame thickness.

Because it is essential to the practice of this invention to produce a cell whose screen elements can readily be assembled or disassembled or adjusted as to the spacing between individual screens I3 or 13a it is essential for the user to eliminate a possibility of improperly spacing the individual screens Vor improperly assembling them.

'Io this end, in one embodiment the frame II itself is provided with two members such as posts I4 and I5 located in proximity to oppositely located diagonal corners of the frame. These posts are conveniently welded in vertical position on, for example, the diagonal cross pieces I4a and I5a. Each screen I3 or ISa has two round holes I8 arranged at diagonally opposite corners which are dimensioned to nt over and about the respective members or posts lli and I5. The two holes I8 of the alternate layers of screens I3 or i3d are respectively located at different pairs of diagonal corners of the respective screens I3 or I3a. In consequence, when the respective screens I3 or I3a are mounted on the members or posts I4 and I5 the openings O in alternate screens have their major and minor axes in mutually perpendicular directions. The provision of but two holes I8 in each screen I3 or I3cI arranged as just described compels the user in reassembling the cell elements to properly locate the direction of the openings O as any attempt at parallelism will be precluded because the holes I8 of alternate sheets will not be in proper position for mounting on the posts I4 and I5. In the alternative. and preferably. the two corner cross pieces I4a and I5a are omitted. In such event, 'the members or bolts I6 headed at one end and threaded at the other end replace the posts I4 and I5. The bolts ifa' extend through the described openings ISo the respective screens` I3 or. I3a andl act to retain the assembled screens together between pairs of washers I1 positioned on the bolts Illa and Ita.

In addition, the individually adjacent screens may be spaced to any desired extent by either the corrugations in the individual screens Ia or by the use of spacing washers I9. Because of the alternate arrangement of the screens, the corrugations in alternate layers run at right angles to each other and space the screens. The corrugations preferably are to a depth of M3" or may be varied as desired. An alternative Way of spacing is by the use of spacing washers I9 mounted upon the respective (see Fig. 2) members or posts I4 and I5 between adjacent pairs of uncorrugated screens I3a. In other words the washers I5 are alternated with screens. A purpose of such corrugatons in the screens or of alternation of washers on the posts I4 and I5 or bolts I6 is that then those diagonal corners of the screens which are not mounted on the posts have a certain degree of freedom of movement or play so that water or other liquids striking the screens I3 or I3a have a tendency to shake them and help in the elimination of dust, dirt, or solid particles that might otherwise cling to the surface of said screens I3 or I3a. In other words, the opposite free diagonal corner of the respective screens I3 or I3a may vibrate for dirt or dust loosening purposes.

In a frame of 2" depth as described, approximately 18 screens I3 or I3a may be utilized. In addition to these I8 screens a pair of outermost screens 20 and 2I of heavier gauge expanded metal may be utilized to strengthen the cell. These outermost screens 20 and 2I are provided with larger apertures than the openings O of the screens I3 or I3a so that they will not interfere with the flow of air or liquids but will vmaterially strengthen the cell itself. In a cell having the dimensions heretofore given the openings O have major and minor axes of respectively 1%; and 1/4 of an inch. A plurality of layers of screens I3 or I3a having openings of such dimensions placed with their major and minor axes alternately at right angles give a very high saturation efficiency with very small quantities of water. At the same time they allow passage of larger quantities of air at lower static resistance than other cells presently upon the market. For example, in a cell having the dimensions given, it is possible to pass approximately 1200 cubic feet of air per minute when the cell is wetted with two gallons of Water per minute, the air and water passing concurrently through the cell with a saturation eiiiciency of '70% and a static resistance not exceeding .5 water gauge.

The assembled layers of screens I3 or I3a are secured in the frame Il for example by the clamping nuts 24 and 25 that screw onto the posts I4 and I5 or bolts I 6.

In addition, a trimming border 26 may be appropriately mounted over the upper peripheral edge of the frame II.

Gne of the major features of the cell IO of the invention lies in the fact that when it becomes necessary to clean it one simply backens o1' loosens the nuts 24 and 25 on the two posts I4 and I5 or bolts I 6. This permits the screens I3 or I 3a to be shaken and when heavily sprayed or hosed complete cleaning can be eected without the necessity for dismantling. On the other hand, if on occasion it is desired to dismantle the cell completely the binding nuts 24 and 25 can be removed and the individual screens I3 or ISa removed and cleaned'and then reassembled by the most unskilled worker who will of necessity be guided in the reassembly of the screens I3 or i3d by the necessity to t the holes i8 thereof on the respective diagonally located posts l 1i and I5 or bolts i6.

There is no limit to the number of screens i3 or 13a that may be set up or assembled as described either for greater cleaning effect or for higher degree of saturation. However, with the arrangement desoibed, for all practical purposes, a 2 thickness of cell is completely adequate and in this thickness the number of screens I3 or i3d can be changed by the introduction of a larger number of washers i9 between individual screens. By changing the number of layers of screens i3 or I3a or by varying the velocity of air through the cell, saturation eiiciency varying from 50% to 90% can be achieved. This result is eiected by the use of from 13 to 19 screen layers I3 or 13a. The resistance to air flow of such assemblies varies from less than 0.2 water gauge to 0.8" water gauge. lends itself materiallyr to adapting the cell l0 for various required saturation eiiiciencies.

The herein described cell is useful in air conditioning apparatus Where air and water flow in concurrent direction. It is also useful when there is countercurrent flow of air and Water. Moreover, if the cells are sprayed intermittently with a viscous material, they can be used as a continuous oil iilter.

Where water is used in connection with the cells, the saturation efficiency can be increased or decreased by changing the quantities of water used with the cells.

While specific embodiments or the invention have been disclosed. variations in structural details within the scope of the claims are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention therefore or limitation to the exact details shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A saturating and cleaning cell comprising a frame, a pair of mounting members at a pair of diagonally opposite corners, a plurality of sheets of expanded material each having openings With different major and minor axes, said sheets being mounted in said frame on said members with the major and minor axes of the openings of alternate sheets in crossed relationship relative to each other, said sheets being secured in said frames solely on said members, and with their other corners free.

2. The cell of claim 1, in which each screen has one pair only of diagonally located openings In other words, the constructionto t on said members, said lastnamed openings being located at appropriate opposite corners of said sheets to compel assembly of alternate sheets on said members with crossed relationship of the major and minor axes of the rst-named openings in said sheets.

3. The cell of claim 1, in which spacing washers are positioned on said members between adjacent sheets of said expanded material.

4. The cell of claim 1, in which said screens are individually corrugated to provide spacing between adjacent screens.

5. The cell of claim 1, in which the outermost sheets are of heavier gauge expanded material than the sheets between 'them to provide reinforcement and rigidity to the cell.

6. A saturating and cleaning cell comprising a frame, a pair of mounting posts fixed thereto at a pair of diagonally opposite corners, a plurality of sheets of expanded metal each having openings of substantially oval shape mounted in said frame on said posts with the openings of alternate sheets in crossed relationship relative to each other, said sheets being secured in said frame solely on said posts with their other corners free.

'7. The cell of claim 6, in which each screen has one'pair only of openings located to nt on said posts, said last-named openings being located at appropriate diagonally opposite corners of said sheets to compel assembly of alternate sheets with crossed relationship of their oval openings.

8. The cell of claim 6, in which spacing washers are positioned on said posts between adjacent sheets of said expanded metal.

9. The cell of claim 6, in which the outermost sheets are of heavier gauge expanded metal than the sheets between them to provide reinforcement and rigidity to the cell.

10. The cell of claim 6, in which said screens are individually corrugated to provide spacing between adjacent screens.

WALTER L. FLEISHER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Chrstoierson June 14, 1932 

